Yoga through Distinguishing the Field and the Knower of the Field
Verse 13.7
इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतनाधृतिः।एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम्।।13.7।।
ichchhā dveṣhaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ saṅghātaśh chetanā dhṛitiḥ etat kṣhetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛitam
Word Meanings
ichchhā—desire; dveṣhaḥ—aversion; sukham—happiness; duḥkham—misery; saṅghātaḥ—the aggregate; chetanā—the consciousness; dhṛitiḥ—the will; etat—all these; kṣhetram—the field of activities; samāsena—comprise of; sa-vikāram—with modifications; udāhṛitam—are said
Translation · English
Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate (body), intelligence, and fortitude—the field has thus been briefly described with its modifications.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Bhagavan Krishna delineates the subtle constituents of the ksetra, or the 'Field.' While we often identify our desires, joys, and pains as the core of our being, Krishna reveals them to be mere modifications of the material nature (prakriti). By categorizing 'consciousness' (chetana) and 'will' (dhriti) alongside physical aggregates as part of the Field, He executes a profound ontological shift: everything that can be observed, experienced, or witnessed belongs to the realm of objects, not the Subject. This is not to diminish human experience, but to clarify that the 'Knower of the Field' (Ksetrajna) stands apart from these fluctuating mental states. This perspective is vital for a seeker; it transforms one's relationship with the mind. Instead of becoming an accomplice to the ego's volatility, one learns to observe the movements of desire, aversion, and physical sensation as a neutral witness, thereby reclaiming the stillness of the Atman. It is the recognition that the witness remains untouched by the drama played out on the stage of the mind. By identifying these states as 'the field,' Krishna invites Arjuna—and all seekers—to detach from the reactive nature of the ego and rest in the silent, luminous awareness that perceives them.
True liberation begins when we realize that the entire landscape of our psychological and physical experience is a field of objects to be witnessed, rather than the essence of the Self.
Connected Verses
Describes the ideal state of the Gunateeta, who remains as a witness to the Field's movements without becoming disturbed by them.
Confirms that whatever exists, whether animate or inanimate, is a manifestation resulting from the union of the Field and the Knower.
Clarifies that while the gunas perform actions, the deluded ego erroneously claims ownership of the Field's activities.
Highlights the temporary nature of sensory contacts, establishing the need to tolerate the fluctuations of the Field.
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